Apparatus for concrete wall construction

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;see through&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; or solid type simulating block-laid walls comprising sets of two form holder boards spaced apart transversely in selected positions, a plurality of form holders arranged in a horizontal row on each form holder board with the holders of one row opposite those of the other row, and a flexible open cell foam-like material form supported without fastening means, on each form holder, each form being provided with peripheral edge ribs which cooperate with an adjacent form to make grooves simulating mortar grooves in concrete poured around the forms arranged in back to back abutment for producing a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;see through&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; wall or spaced for producing a solid wall. The form material is water absorbent and compressible which protects the concrete while becoming set and prevents cracking.

United States Patent Liester Sept. 5, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE WALL CONSTRUCTION [72] Inventor: Arvin F. Liester, 2515 La Salle St.,

Colo. Springs, Colo. 80909 [22] Filed: March 19, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 126,005

[52] US. Cl. ..249/35, 249/39, 249/113, 249/134 [51] Int. Cl ..E04g 15/06 [58] Field of Search.....25/l31 1'1, 131 P, 29; 249/35, 249/39, 33, 34, 28, 44, 47, I12, 113, 134,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,698,536 1/ 1955 Robertson ..249/134 UX 1,841,074 l/l932 Wolff ..349/35 X 2,310,400 2/1943 Crane et a1. ..249/189 X 2,381,613 8/ 1945 Mitchell ..249/35 3,503,583 3/1970 Jester et a1 ..249/134 X 3,515,779 6/ 1970 Jones ..249/134 UX Primary ExaminerJ. Spencer Overholser Assistant ExaminerBen D. Tobor Attorney-Bertha L. MacGregor [5 7 ABSTRACT Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the see through or solid type simulating block-laid walls comprising sets of two form holder boards spaced apart transversely in selected positions, a plurality of form holders arranged in a horizontal row on each form holder board with the holders of one row opposite those of the other row, and a flexible open cell foam-like material form supported without fastening means, on each form holder, each form being provided with peripheral edge ribs which cooperate with an adjacent form to make grooves simulating mortar grooves in concrete poured around the forms arranged in back to back abutment for producing a see through wall or spaced for producing a solid wall. The form material is water absorbent and compressible which protects the concrete while becoming set and prevents cracking.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures P'AIENTEBsn 5m: 3.689L021 sum 2" 0i 2 ATTORNEY APPARATUS FoR CONCRETE WALL CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to apparatus for concrete wall construction. The concrete walls produced by the use of the apparatus of my invention simulate block-laid walls. Heretofore, precast concrete blocks have been placed in superposed rows on a concrete foundation. The laying of blocks for this purpose requires the services of a skilled mason for placing the blocks and applying mortar between the sides of adjacent blocks of one row as well as between the superposed blocks of two rows. In my co-pending application, ser. No. 821,931, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,826, I have described apparatus for producing concrete wall constructions which simulate block-laid walls by the use of self-contained, self-supporting forms detachably connected together in pairs in back to back contact with each other. The apparatus thus described in my earlier application produces concrete walls having seethrough openings therein.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby concrete walls, either solid, i.e. free of openings, or having openings therein, can be produced efficiently and economically by the use of the same apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to utilize forms made of open cell flexible foamlike plastic material,-of which polyurethane is an example, easily removable from the concrete of which the wall is made, and flexible and compressible so that the forms compensate for pressure imposed on them by the concrete during the setting period, thereby preventing cracking of the concrete. Another advantage resulting from the use of my open-cell flexible foam-like forms is their air and water holding capacity which draws cement to the surface of the poured concrete and thus strengthens the resultant wall. A further advantage obtained by the use of my open cell forms and their capacity for holding water drawn from the cement is the warning effect on the concrete during freezing temperatures resulting from the freezing of the water in the cellular forms, thus protecting the concrete from freezing in low temperatures.

Due to the characteristics of the open cell flexible foam-like material, such as polyurethane, which is employed in the forms of my invention, my apparatus includes form holders for supporting the cellular forms. The form holders may be made of metal or other suitable material and are attached to form holder boards. Two form holder boards each eight feet in length are used to make one section of the apparatus, with twelve form holders rigidly fastened to each board in horizontal alignment, the back ends of the holders of one board facing those of the other board. The form holders are spaced apart from each other on each board sufficiently to permit the cellular material forms to be supported on the holders, with edges of adjacent forms contacting each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide an expansion joint former plate at the end of each section, said plate functioning to close the end of a section and also to connect the two form holder boards of that section in selected spaced apart positions. Another function of the expansion joint plate is to leave a space between the ends of adjacent sections when the plate is removed after the concrete poured in that section has become set. As advantage of tying the boards of a section together by the described means is the fact that the tying means do not extend across the top of the apparatus, and therefore concrete may be poured around a second row of forms without waiting for the concrete in the first row to become set and without interference by the presence of the first row forms.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, in which the parts of the forms which face the form holder boards during the concrete pouring operation will be referred to as the front faces of the forms and the end of a form opposite the end of another form in the apparatus will be referred to as the back of the form.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational front view showing at the left part of a finished wall which simulates three horizontal rows of cement blocks, and showing at the right a part of the wall as it appears when the forms are in place during the pouring and setting of the concrete.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the back of one of the forms of a pair of forms, having a raised design on its end face; and FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the back of the companion form opposite the form of FIG. 2, having a depressed design complemental to that of the form of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view in the plane of the line 44 of FIG. 1, looking downwardly as indicated by the arrows, showing the wall forming apparatus in place for making a see through wall.

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view in the plane of the lines 55 of FIG. 1, showing the two forms of a pair of oppositely positioned forms in back to back abutment, for making a see through wall.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing part of the forming apparatus positioned for producing a solid wall without any see through walls.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the I drawings, a portion of a finished poured concrete wall produced by the use of the apparatus of my invention is designated 10 in FIG. 1. The portion shown consists of parts of three horizontal rows of simulated blocks 11 having see throug openings 12 therein, the simulated blocks being separated by grooves 13 which simulate mortar grooves existing in hand-laid cement block walls. The wall shown in FIG. 1 is one side or front of a poured concrete wall. The opposite or rear side is similar to that disclosed in FIG. 1, both sides being produced by pouring concrete around the forms to be described. A footing is indicated at 14.

The apparatus employed in producing the described poured concrete wall comprises sections of form holder boards 15, preferably 8 feet in length. Two such boards are assembled in parallel, laterally spaced apart sets. Each board 15 consists of a vertically disposed board 16, a bottom board 17 projecting outwardly at right angles from the board 16 to which it is fastened, and a top board 18 also projecting outwardly from the board 16. A vertical spacer board 19 is located between and fastened to the upper board 18 and lower board 17, at the end of a section 15, at right angles to the vertical board 16. The plane sides of the boards 16 of a pair of form holder boards face each other when the boards are assembled to make a section 15.

The spacer boards 19 are provided with bolt receiving holes 20, spaced apart horizontally, to receive bolts 21 extending through an expansion joint plate 22 as shown at the right of FIG. 4. The expansion joint plate 22 when fastened by bolts 21 to the spacer boards 19, in the selected position determined by the bolt holes 20, retains the two form holder boards of a section in desired position for pouring a wall provided with see through openings, as in FIG. 4, or a solid wall 23 without openings, as in FIG. 6. The expansion joint plate 22 also serves to close the end of a board section during the concrete pouring and setting operation. Preferably the plate 22 consists of a rigid plate and a resilient material layer. After the concrete has become set, the expansion joint plate 22 is removed from the section, after withdrawal of the bolts 21, by means of a handle 24 fastened to one vertical edge of the plate 22, projecting outwardly from the board section. After the plate 22 has been removed a space is left between concrete sections of each row, which may be left as an expansion space, or be filled with felt or other expansion material, as indicated at 25 in FIG. 1.

Each of the vertical plane surfaces of the facing boards 16 of a board section has fastened thereto a series of form holders 30, arranged in a horizontal row, and spaced from each other as best shown in FIG. 4. Preferably, 12 form holders 30 are fastened as shown to an 8 foot long board 16. The form holders 30 have flanged edges 31 for bearing against the flat surface of the board 16, the edges 31 being nailed or otherwise fastened to the board. Preferably the form holders 30 are made of metal or other suitable material for supporting the forms about to be described. The form holders 30 may be generally rectangular in cross section, with tapered side walls 32 and fiat back ends 33. The latter may be provided with a center hole 34.

Individual forms 35 are made of open cell foam-like plastic material, shaped to fit over the form holders 30 and be supported by said holders. The front faces 36 of the forms 35 face the vertical boards 16 as shown in FIGS. 4-6, and the back faces 37 of the forms 35 are flat and face the back faces of opposite forms 35. The boards 16 of a section 15 may be spaced apart from each other, transversely, so that the backs 37 of the forms 35 of a pair of oppositely located forms will be in contact with each other as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, or spaced apart as shown in FIG. 6. When the forms 35 are in the back to back abutment positions of FIGS. 4 and 5, the concrete poured around the tops, bottoms and sides of the forms 35 is confined by the forms 35, and when the forms are removed after the concrete has become set, a see through opening 12 results. When the forms 35 are spaced apart from their opposite forms, as in FIG. 6, the concrete poured around the forms 35 also fills the space between the rear walls 37 of the pairs of opposite forms, and a solid wall 23 without any openings results.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, rear elevational views of a pair of forms 35 designed to be positioned in back to back facing positions between the boards 16 of a board section 15, the form 35 shown in FIG. 2 has a design 38 on its back 37 and the form 35 shown in FIG. 3 has a design 39 on its back 37. The designs 38 and 39 are complemental to each other, the design 38 being raised and the design 39 being depressed relatively to the back surfaces 37. If the forms 35 are used in back to back abutment, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, the presence of complemental designs on the forms 35 aids in centering and aligning the forms, but the designs will not impress the concrete because a see through opening will be produced in the wall 10 when the forms have been removed. If the forms 35 are used in back facing nonabutting positions as shown in FIG. 6, the designs 38, 39, will appear on opposite sides of the wall 23 in the area designated 40 in FIG. 6.

The forms 35 are provided with groove-forming ribs 41 on one of their side edges and ribs 42 on their top or bottom edges, and with narrower ribs 43 on the remaining edges, so that ribs 41 and 42 will cooperate with narrower ribs 43 of adjacent forms 35 to make grooves 13 in the concrete, simulating mortar grooves between block laid walls.

The bottom boards 17 of the form holder boards 15 may have fastened thereto a seal 45 consisting of a flat strip of tin 46 and a strip of rubber 47. The seal 45 prevents concrete from oozing out of the first row forms before the concrete sets, and the seal also serves to make a groove along the bottom edges of the forms 35 to simulate a mortar groove.

After concrete has been poured and set in a section of forms, and the forms have been removed, cement nails 48 may be driven into the set concrete in locations where they do not interfere with the subsequently placed forms, as shown in FIG. 5, where the nails 48 are shown as having been placed in the footing before the first row forms were placed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the forms 35 between the boards 16 of a set of boards confine the poured concrete while it is becoming set, and serve as insulating means to protect the concrete from cold; and that the capacity of the forms made of polyurethane or other suitable open cell material to absorb water from the concrete aids in strengthening the finished wall. Removal of the expansion joint plates 22 is facilitated by using bolts 21 without heads or nuts. Bolts are not needed at that edge of the plate adjacent the handle 24 because the latter provides a shoulder against which one of the two form holder boards 16 of a set of boards bears during the setting period. Provision of two horizontally spaced apart holes 20 for bolts 21 positively determines the positions of the forms 35 of a pair of forms as to their back to back abutment or spacing, thus permitting use of the identical apparatus for making two different types of walls, i.e., the see through" type or the solid non'see-through type. The walls, either 10 or 23, can be poured in successive rows, preferably limited to one or two at one time, in consideration of cost of forms, as well as the fact that forms 35 of the described material becomes crushed under excessive weight.

Among the advantages of using polyurethane or similar plastic material in the forms of my apparatus is its air holding capacity which contributes to the flexibility, compressibility and water absorbent characteristic of the forms, and their ability to protect the concrete poured around them. Further advantages result from the fact that the plastic material of the forms is self-skin producing. By overpacking the material in the production of the forms, an integral skin is produced which has holes of less than 0.003 inch which is approximately the size of a cement particle. The integral skin produced in the making of the forms contributes substantially to the separation of the forms from the poured concrete when set.

The cellular structure of the forms provides passageways which conduct air trapped between the poured concrete and the forms through and away from the forms, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles on the surface of the concrete when it become set.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the see throug or solid type simulating block-laid walls comprising a. a set consisting of a pair of longitudinally extending transversely spaced apart vertically disposed parallel form holder boards,

removable means connecting the boards in selected transversely spaced apart positions,

c. a plurality of form holders fastened in a horizontal row and spaced apart on each of said form holder boards, the form holders on one board being opposite the form holders of the other board of a set and spaced from said holders between their facing backs, and

d. a form made of porous flexible foam-like plastic material which conducts air trapped between the concrete and the forms through and away from the forms and prevents formation of air bubbles on the surface of the poured concrete, said form being supported on each form holder with the front face of the form contacting one of the form holder boards and the back face of the form being in abutting relationship to the opposite form, the forms being in edge contact with adjacent forms to confine concrete between the oppositely positioned forms within a set of boards.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which each form holder board of a set of boards is provided with upper and lower boards extending outwardly from each board, and a spacer board at right angles to the form holder board between said upper and lower horizontal boards.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the removable means connecting the form holder boards of a set in selected spaced apart positions comprises an expansion joint plate extending transversely across the ends of the boards of a set, and means fastening the plate to the board in selected position.

4. The apparatus defined by claim 3, in which the expansion joint plate is a rigid plate lined with compressible material, said plate closing the end of a board set when fastened thereto and leaving an expansion space between sets when removed.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 3, in which the plate has a handle attached to one vertical edge to facilitate removal of the plate and bearing against one of the boards of a set for holding the plate in operative position on the board ends.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the form holders are generally cup-shaped, provided with side walls terminating in front end flanges attached to the boards of a set.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms made of flexible foam-like material have enerall fl at ends facing the opposite fp rm of a pair of orrns, t e acrng end surfaces 0 a pair avmg complemental designs thereon which function to center the forms for placement on the form holders of a set in back to back'abutrnent of the forms when a see through wall is being poured and function to ornament the wall when the form ends are in non-abutting positions and a solid non-see-through type of wall is poured.

8. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are provided with ribs on their peripheral edges which contact ribs on the peripheral edges of adjacent forms and produce grooves in the poured concrete which simulate mortar grooves in the finished wall.

9. The apparatus defined by claim 1, which includes a seal attached to the bottom of each board for preventing concrete from passing downwardly and for 7 creating a groove which simulates a mortar groove.

10. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are supported on the form holders without any fastening means, and the form holder boards together with the form holders are removable from the forms by sidewise movement relatively to the finished wall for withdrawing the form holders from the forms.

11. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are made of flexible foam-like open cell material which is compressible and yields to pressure imposed on the forms by the concrete while it becomes set and thus prevents cracking of the concrete.

12. Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the see through or solid type simulating blocklaid walls comprising a. a set consisting of a pair of longitudinally extending transversely spaced apart vertically disposed parallel form holder boards,

removable means connecting the boards in selected transversely spaced apart positions,

c. a plurality of form holders fastened in a horizontal row and spaced apart on each of said form holder boards, the form holders on one board being opposite the form holders of the other board of a set and spaced from said holders between their facing backs, and

a form made of porous flexible foam-like plastic material which conducts air trapped between the concrete and the forms through and away from the forms and prevents formation of air bubbles on the surface of the poured concrete, said form being supported on each form holder with the front face of the form contacting one of the form holder boards and the back face of the form being in spaced non-abutting relationship to the opposite form depending on the selected spaced apart positions of the boards of the set, the forms being in edge contact with adjacent forms to confine concrete between the oppositely positioned forms within a set of boards. 

1. Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the ''''see through'''' or solid type simulating block-laid walls comprising a. a set consisting of a pair of longitudinally extending transversely spaced apart vertically disposed parallel form holder boards, b. removable means connecting the boards in selected transversely spaced apart positions, c. a plurality of form holders fastened in a horizontal row and spaced apart on each of said form holder boards, the form holders on one board being opposite the form holders of the other board of a set and spaced from said holders between their facing backs, and d. a form made of porous flexible foam-like plastic material which conducts air trapped between the concrete and the forms through and away from the forms and prevents formation of air bubbles on the surface of the poured concrete, said form being supported on each form holder with the front face of the form contacting one of the form holder boards and the back face of the form being in abutting relationship to the opposite form, the forms being in edge contact with adjacent forms to confine concrete between the oppositely positioned forms within a set of boards.
 2. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which each form holder board of a set of boards is provided with upper and lower boards extending outwardly from each board, and a spacer board at right angles to the form holder board between said upper and lower horizontal boards.
 3. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the removable means connecting the form holder boards of a set in selected spaced apart positions comprises an expansion joint plate extending transversely across the ends of the boards of a set, and means fastening the plate to the board in selected position.
 4. The apparatus defined by claim 3, in which the expansion joint plate is a rigid plate lined with compressible material, said plate closing the end of a board set when fastened thereto and leaving an expansion space between sets when removed.
 5. The apparatus defined by claim 3, in which the plate has a handle attached to one vertical edge to facilitate removal of the plate and bearing against one of the boards of a set for holding the plate in operative position on the board ends.
 6. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the form holders are generally cup-shaped, provided with side walls terminating in front end flanges attached to the boards of a set.
 7. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms made of flexible foam-like material have generally flat ends facing the opposite form of a pair of forms, the facing end surfaces of a pair having complemental designs thereon which function to center the forms for placement on the form holders of a set in back to back abutment of the forms when a ''''see through'''' wall is being poured and function to ornament the wall when the form ends are in non-abutting positions and a solid non-see-through type of wall is poured.
 8. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are provided with ribs on their peripheral edges which contact ribs on the peripheral edges of adjacent forms and produce grooves in the poured concrete which simulate mortar grooves in the finished wall.
 9. The apparatus defined by claim 1, which includes a seal attached to the bottom of each board for preventing concrete from passing downwardly and for creating a groove which simulates a mortar groove.
 10. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are supported on the form holders without any fastening means, and the form holder boards together with the form holders are removable from the forms by sidewise movement relatively to the finished wall for withdrawing the form holders from the forms.
 11. The apparatus defined by claim 1, in which the forms are made of flexible foam-like open cell material which is compressible and yields to pressure imposed on the forms by the concrete while it becomes set and thus prevents cracking of the concrete.
 12. Apparatus for concrete wall construction of either the ''''see through'''' or solid type simulating block-laid walls comprising a. a set consisting of a pair of longitudinally extending transversely spaced apart vertically disposed parallel form holder boards, b. removable means connecting the boards in selected transversely spaced apart positions, c. a pluraLity of form holders fastened in a horizontal row and spaced apart on each of said form holder boards, the form holders on one board being opposite the form holders of the other board of a set and spaced from said holders between their facing backs, and d. a form made of porous flexible foam-like plastic material which conducts air trapped between the concrete and the forms through and away from the forms and prevents formation of air bubbles on the surface of the poured concrete, said form being supported on each form holder with the front face of the form contacting one of the form holder boards and the back face of the form being in spaced non-abutting relationship to the opposite form depending on the selected spaced apart positions of the boards of the set, the forms being in edge contact with adjacent forms to confine concrete between the oppositely positioned forms within a set of boards. 